Blogosphere - an ideal public sphere?

Blogging is common nowadays. The number of blogs is rising, creating blogosphere. The term blogosphere refers to interconnectedness of blogs which form virtual community (Lee 2006). Some viewed blogosphere as new public sphere, but I think whether blogosphere can be independent and impartial is questionable.

The public sphere, according to Jürgen Habermas, is conceptual idea where people debate matters freely and openly (Boeder 2005). The use of hyperlinks in blog favors flow of ideas and rise of ‘networked public sphere’ (Boeder 2005). The comic below creatively illustrated this.

(Rupakson 2012)
(image from http://www.worthofweb.com/blog/case-study-blogosphere-by-james-surowiecki/)

Theoretically, blogosphere can act as independent and impartial public sphere where people share their views without external pressure. Unlike the press which is owned by media corporations and strived for profits, there’s no influence of power parties in blogs. People can freely express their opinions, present dissident views (Etling, Kelly, Faris & Palfrey 2009). Citizen journalist is example, which provide alternative to mainstream media. And as anyone can open a blog, citizen voice and minority viewpoint have a chance in being heard, challenging power of elites in their dominant position (Etling et al. 2009). 

However, in practice, this notion of blogosphere as public sphere is more ideal with involvement of corporate and government interests. Blogs are increasingly used as platform for advertising (Boeder 2005). People are being paid to write blogs to promote products, like mom bloggers (Local 10 2012). Boeder (2005) noted that ‘public sphere is deeply wounded by the intrusion of PR’. Opinions are staged which shaped people’s beliefs (Boeder 2005). State influence is another problem, which government monitors blogs and filter information. An example is censorship of sensitive information on microblogging site Sina Weibo in China (BBC 2013). That is further restrained by digital divide, which not everyone have access to Internet (Etlinget et al. 2009). All these brings to the conclusion that blogosphere is still ‘elite-controlled public sphere’ (Etlinget et al. 2009), which the powerful one have money and means to control opinions. Even though blogoshpere cannot act as independent and impartial public sphere, what it offered bring us one step closer.

References
BBC News 2013, ‘The astonishing speed of Chinese censorship’, BBC, 27 March, retrieved 22 August 2013, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-21743499>
Boeder, P 2005, 'Habermas’ heritage: The future of the public sphere in networked society', First Monday, vol. 10, no. 9, retrieved 22 August 2013, <http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1280/1200>
Etling, B, Kelly, J, Faris, R & Palfrey P 2009, Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere: Politics, Culture and Dissent, Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, retrieved 21 August 2013, <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Mapping_the_Arabic_Blogosphere_0.pdf>
Lee, JK 2006, ‘The Blogosphere and the Public Sphere: Exploring possibility of the blogosphere as a public sphere’, International Communication Association conference papers, EBSCOhost, retrieved 21 August 2013
Local 10 2012, 'Companies pay mom bloggers thousands', Local 10, 6 Feb, retrieved 22 August 2013, <http://www.local10.com/news/Companies-pay-mom-bloggers-thousands/-/1717324/8603210/-/f99g77/-/index.html>
Rupakson 2012, 'Case Study: Blogosphere by James Surowiecki', Worth of Web Academy, retrieved 21 August 2013, <http://www.worthofweb.com/blog/case-study-blogosphere-by-james-surowiecki/>

We are all pirates

We are now living in remix culture.

With the prevalence of material and free software available on the Internet, everyone can now be producers by remixing materials. That is 'to cut, paste, sample or jam with content, in order to produce something which is distinctive of their own social and creative innovation' (O'Brien & Fitzgerald 2006, p.1). But are remixers considered as innovators or thieves?

Some regarded remix as original forms of art and expression (Stepanek 2009). It’s true that many finished works look different from original ones, but that doesn’t change the fact that the used material is based on others’ output. Guertin (2012) explained this perfectly that people do not own the content, just the creative process in turning pre-existed material into new ones. So, remixers are thieves. But I think that shouldn’t be a surprise, cause who aren’t pirates these days?

Pablo Picasso once said ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal’. Every innovation is based on precedent. There is hardly an original idea. This can be seen in clip Everything is a Remix: Part 2 (Ferguson 2011), showing many Hollywood films are adapted from popular culture. The well-known Quentin Tarantino’s film Kill Bill is made up of different elements from various films, like adding kung fu genre where characters wore yellow jumpsuits as in Bruce Lee’s kung fu movie.

Bruce Lee (left), Kill Bill (right)
(image from http://www.ufunk.net/en/insolite/toutes-les-clins-doeil-%C3%A0-des-films-dans-kill-bill-en-une-seule-vid%C3%A9o/)

Guertin (2012, p.37) said ‘creativity is dead’. That’s really sad but true. We are all pirates. We all stole from others’ works. Even world’s great people like Beethoven, Albert Einstein didn’t come up with original idea. But what distinguish them from others is that they get inspiration and gradually develop into their own unique style.

As to the question if we have to pay for every sample used, I think the answer is no. But at the same time it is wrong to assume that everything is free on the Internet (Martin 2011). I think what matters are the extents to which we use materials. Fair dealing is what emphasized in copyright law (O'Brien & Fitzgerald 2006). Creators deserve credit and respect for their hard works.


References
Ferguson, K 2011, 'Everything is a Remix Part 2', retrieved 12 August 2013, <http://everythingisaremix.info/blog/everything-is-a-remix-part-2>
Guertin, C 2012, Digital prohibition: piracy and authorship in new media art, Continuum International Publishing, London
Martin, R 2011, 'Remix culture: a rights nightmare', retrieved 12 August 2013, <http://www.abc.net.au/catapult/indepth/s1645533.htm>
O'Brien, D & Fitzgerald, B 2006, Mashups, remixes and copyright law, Queensland University of Technology, retrieved 12 August 2013, <http://eprints.qut.edu.au/4239/1/4239.pdf>
Stepanek, M 2009, 'Remix Culture', accessed 12 August 2013, <http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/remix-culture>

Japanese unique culture

Before when speaking of Japan, I would immediately picture a technologically advanced nation. Japan is a world economic power with global brands like Toyota. ‘Toyotism’ is the word created for Toyota’s unique production system (Pieterse 2004). Nowadays, I admired more of its rich culture which I learned watching anime.

Globalisation helps the export of Japanese anime to the world. Its popularity can be seen in recent anime, Attack on Titan, which arouses heated discussion in Asia, even in Europe. This helps to spread universal values, like humanity and moral values.

Talking about animation, Miyazaki Hayao’s name will definitely appear. He is legendary anime film maker. Through Hayao’s animation, I discovered the uniqueness of Japanese culture, of its past and present. 

Bathhouse in Spirited Away (2001)

(image from http://hayao-miyazaki.tumblr.com/post/560134537/spirited-away)

Hayao’s animation display strong traditional Japanese culture.  Like in award-winning film Spirited Away, which told story of a girl who wandered into place for gods and spirits to relax, brings forward Japanese folktales about myths of Shinto (Yoshioka quoted in MacWilliams 2008). It also reveals traditions, like Japanese clothing and ‘onsen’, hot springs culture. The setting, like bathhouse featured in the film, let audiences to glimpse into Japanese's traditional village and appreciated its architecture. European style is seen, but that’s exactly what makes Japan unique, of its hybrid culture. Recalling history, Japan was occupied by America after defeated in the Second World War, and that’s when Western culture influenced Japan. Though Japan retained its traditions, some Western elements were incorporated, developing into special culture. Hayao once said his aim is to produce film that present ‘Japaneseness’ (Yoshioka quoted in MacWilliams 2008). I think he successfully did it, which revealed Japan cultural past and firmed Japanese cultural identity (Kimball 2009). 

Hot springs

(image from http://spiritedaway.wikia.com/wiki/The_Bathhouse?file=BathhouseCustomer.png)

Princess Mononoke (1997)
(image from http://ani.me/zine/home/article/2095/)

Hayao’s animation also looked into modernity issue, like the development of technology. Princess Mononoke showed battle between ironworkers and gods of the forest. The beautiful scenic, calm and relaxing life created by Hayao is a reminder of Japanese to appreciate nature. Japan has natural geographical location, located on an island surrounded by water. It is also a reminder to balance between technology and nature, so that human and nature co-exist.

References
Kimball, M 2009, 'Global culture and diversity', Margaret Kimball E-Portfolio, accessed 1 August 2013, <https://cunyonline.digication.com/mmkimball/CC_404_Global_Culture_and_Diversity>
Pieterse, J N 2004, Globalization and culture: global mélange, Rowan & Littlefield, Lanham, Md
Yoshioka, S 2008, 'Heart of Japaneseness: History and Nostalgia in Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away’, quoted in MacWilliams, MW (ed.), Japanese visual culture: explorations in the world of manga and anime, M.E.Sharpe, England